Starting to plan your summer vacations and thinking about Italy? Want to try something a little off the beaten touristic track? A week in Puglia may just be what you need! The ‘heel of the boot’ is a real little rustic wonder, for excellent food and turquoise waters, look no further!

Now grab an Aperol Spritz or a glass of rose because it’s a long one! If reading isn’t your thing, check out our trip highlights video!

We landed around lunchtime in Bari and headed straight South-West. We checked-in at Tenuta Yala, a wonderful agriturismo which I highly recommend!

We relaxed for the rest of the day, enjoying a glass or two of wine and a filling dinner at the agriturismo.

Day 1 – Tricase Porto and Leuca

We woke up bright and early the following day and headed South to Tricase Porto and Leuca. The drive by the coast was just fantastic!

Tricase Porto is teeny tiny, so you will only need an hour there. We walked by the harbour and the seafront and took a minute to appreciate the turquoise water.

Next stop was Leuca. It is not the prettiest city, people mainly come here for the beach. So we just walked around the town grabbed a bite to eat and a gelato.

We then headed back and had dinner in Gallipoli at Al De Pace. It was one of our best meals there, the octopus pasta was to die for and the tiramisu was just delicious! Well worth a visit!

Day 2 – Otranto, Galatina and Baia Verde

The following day we headed West to Otranto. It was one of our favourite villages in Puglia, full of history and surrounded by turquoise water. A medieval gem in a paradise setting!

We then thought it would be a good idea to head to Galatina for lunch… It is good to note that on Mondays most restaurants are closed in Italy. The town is beautiful but it was completely dead! It may worth going on another day as we ended up having a very unsatisfying sandwich from a local shop.

We ended the day enjoying the sunset at Baia Verde with a glass of Aperol and a new friend! A glorious sunset on the Mediterranean sea followed by a delicious dinner at Sciamu Moi.

Day 3 – Porto Cesareo and Gallipoli

On our third day, we headed to Porto Cesareo, a very rustic village with a beautiful beach.

After a quick lunch, we headed to Gallipoli old town and got lost in the little-cobbled streets. The city is very charming and extremely lively in the evenings!

Day 4 – Lecce and Brindisi

The following day we started our exploration of the central and eastern parts of Puglia, starting with Lecce. It is called the ‘Florence of the South’ and you can really see why. The town is beautiful and very grand!

When you are there, make sure to grab lunch at L’Angolino di Via Matteotti for the most delicious puccia, a traditional sandwich people have for lunch.

We then headed to Brindisi, which to be honest, didn’t really worth a stop. The town is pretty but there really isn’t much to do.

Day 5 – Ostuni, Cisternino and Alberobello

Thursday was one of our favourite days! We headed to Ostuni, Cisternino and Alberobello which were all beautiful!

Ostuni is a true vision! Rising from the top of the hill like a white gem.

Cisternino is a smaller version of Ostuni but still worth a visit!

Alberobello is magical with its streets of trullos, the traditional Puglian houses.

It is like walking in another creatures’ village. The house looks so different and proportions are on the smaller side for modern human size, it could be a movie set for a hobbit town!

We ended the day at a once in a lifetime restaurant, Grotta Palazzese in Polignano A Mare. The venue is insane, but the food wasn’t the best we had. Also, it is EXPENSIVE so only go there if you really want to tick it off your bucket list.

Looking familiar? Probably because its pictures are all over Pinterest!

Day 6 – Martina Franca, Locorontodo and Monopoli beach

Our second to last day was dedicated to relaxation (finally!). We went for a little walk around Martina Franca and Locorontodo in the morning. Both towns are fairly compact so just get lost in the little streets to embrace the atmosphere.

Don’t be afraid to enter churches in Italian villages, this is where you will discover some gems like this chapel below in Locorontodo.

We then spent the afternoon on the beach in Monopoli.

Day 7 – Monopoli, Polignano A Mare and Bari

For our last day, we went to explore Monopoli…

Polignano A Mare…

…and Bari. All beautiful! All very Pinterest-able and Instagram-able as you can see! We just walked through the streets of Bari city centre, enjoyed the beautiful local architecture in Monopoli, and gasped at the impressive cliff views of Polignano A Mare.

A week in Puglia was the perfect escape to Italy. The dolce vita at its best!

A fantastic post on where to visit in Puglia and how the sunset looks in each place! Amongst all the places you have described, I liked Otranto the most! Thanks for a wonderful photo tour of a lesser known place in Italy!

This looks like an incredible place to visit! We love old European cities and villages like these with narrow stone streets. It’s so much fun to just wander the streets randomly in these types of places.

So many places to vivit in Italy, not sure one can even do so in a lifetime! I see why Lecce is the “Florence of the South” because it is absolutely stunning. Many lovely perspectives to take pictures of and that is my kinda town to chill in. It’s a far cry from crowded Rome!

What a gorgeous destination. This has been on my bucket list for years and never managing to get there. I love the traditional houses of Luck is I love the historical walls, the seaside everything about it. My first stop in August will be Bari I’m glad it’s instagrammable 🙂

Wow you saw it all! I am very happy that you appreciated this beautiful region.
I used to spend my summer near Alborebello, Puglia is such an amazing place to be.
Still very affordable and very “south Italy feeling”……
Good advice on telling people that most of the restaurant are closed in Italy on Mondays, i mean what kind of a vacation would be without having a proper Italian meal!
I might go back next year, so it was nice to check all the pictures!

Wow thank you so much for this post. Your pictures really capture the essence of the area’s you visited and I appreciated your honest review. Italy is on my bucket list and I will definitely be looking to visit some of these destinations.

Ah Puglia. (Apulia in English for some reason). The heel of Italy. Life in the south of Italy is just so much better than in the north. The people just seem to understand the important things…. they have their priorities right. It’s also one of Italy’s best regions food-wise!

I have two very good friends from Polignano a mare. It’s beautiful there.

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French living in London. Daydreamer and food lover. I like to capture nice moments with my camera. Pictures are taken at home, on trips, somewhere close or somewhere far. I share travel tips, my favourite London places, interior updates of my home and beauty tips!